Celtics newcomers Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward ready to go

Tuesday

Sep 26, 2017 at 12:13 AMSep 26, 2017 at 12:16 AM

CANTON – They took different routes to joining the Celtics this summer, one via free agency and the other in a surprising blockbuster trade.

Gordon Hayward, who agreed to a four-year, $128 contract on July 4, and Kyrie Irving, acquired from the Cleveland Cavaliers on Aug. 22, are fellow NBA All-Stars brought together to form a new one-two punch.

So when the team gathered Monday afternoon for media day at the High Output studios on Route 138, it was no surprise which two players were front and center in the spotlight.

The Celtics drastically altered the roster during the offseason, cutting ties with 11 players and returning only four from a team that reached the Eastern Conference finals.

The biggest moves that were made were signing Hayward, who played seven seasons with the Utah Jazz, and getting Irving after he requested a trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Training camp begins this morning in Newport, Rhode Island, and there are high hopes for the Celtics mainly because of the acquisitions of Hayward and Irving.

“Everywhere I’ve gone, people have welcomed me to the city and said, ‘I’m so excited to see you guys play this year. We’re so pumped to watch the Celtics We can’t wait to watch the Celtic,’” said Hayward. “There’s a buzz about it. You can tell the enthusiasm that they have for it.”

Irving played all six of his NBA seasons with the Cavaliers, winning a championship and appearing in two other NBA Finals.

Now, he is getting used to a new situation, just like Hayward and just like Al Horford did a year ago when he joined the Celtics.

“It’s probably the most interesting (season) thinking about the amount of adjustments I have to make, the amount of things I have to learn, the different individuals I have to learn about,” said Irving. “There’s a lot of newness, which I’m excited about, a lot of challenges, a lot of things that I have to just be very, very resilient about because it’s going to come in waves and I’m understanding of that.

“I’m looking forward to the excitement, the ups and downs.”

Irving shocked the NBA when he went to Cavaliers’ management in July and asked to be traded as he wanted to get away from the shadow of LeBron James.

During the Cavaliers’ media day on Monday, James wondered what he could have done differently to keep Irving in Cleveland.

“If we ever have that conversation, I don’t think it’s for anybody else but me and him,” said Irving. “Even if there are things, it’s not anybody else’s business. It’s between two men, as much as everyone would like to hear that.”

While Irving is getting used to a new team and a new system and a new coach, Hayward is reunited with Brad Stevens, the man he played for during two seasons at Butler.

And he is sure to get more attention playing in Boston than he did while in Utah.

“It is different and its something that’s different for me as a person,” said Hayward. “I’ve always been somebody that’s kind of flown under the radar since I was in high school and I don’t mind it like that.

“Making this decision, we talked about there was going to be more spotlight, more attention. I don’t worry about it. It’s what can I do to make myself better and help the team and all that other stuff will take care of itself.

“I’m just excited that it’s finally here. It’s been such a whirlwind summer, one with a lot of drama and a life-altering decision to go from a place of comfort to move across the country and ask my wife and two little ones to pick up everything and come with me.”